Pros react to UFC stripping Conor McGregor of featherweight title

On Saturday night, the UFC made it official: Conor McGregor is no longer the UFC featherweight champion.

In the wake of Daniel Cormier’s fallout from UFC 206, the promotion announced that McGregor had “relinquished” the 145-pound belt he won with a 13-second knockout of legendary champion Jose Aldo in Dec. 2015 at UFC 194. In his stead, Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis will battle for an interim featherweight belt at UFC 206, while Aldo was promoted to the reigning champion of the division.

Check out reaction to the big news below from the mixed martial arts world.

Lets taco-bout it. So is Jose Aldo happy to hear the news that Conor has been stripped of the title & hes now “Champ” again @EliasTheodorou

— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) November 27, 2016

Meaning Conor isn’t going to fight at 145 any time soon? I don’t think Aldo is very happy this morning… https://t.co/MWwPPtUD8G

— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) November 27, 2016

So, if Conor relinquishes the belt, and Aldo is champ, why is there an interim title? Ugh. #UFCMelbourne

— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) November 27, 2016

Don’t think Aldo or any of the featherweights will feel like a champion as long as Conor is still active

— Neil 2 Tap Seery (@NeilSeeryMMA) November 27, 2016

@Sarrrcher pic.twitter.com/rCh84xTcEN

— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) November 27, 2016

So when the #UFC says @NotoriousMMA relinquished his 145 lb, belt, I hear: “We pried it from his cold dead hands.”